wakbington evans



(No Model.)

W. W. EVANS.

PRINTING SURFAOE.

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Ifilflllllllllllllllllllll] Wilrzwses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\V. WARRINGTON EVANS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PRINTING SURFACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,048, dated November 29, 1887. Application filed February 10, i885. Renewed March 5, 1887. Again renewed October 19, 1887. Serial No. 252,841. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, W. WARRINGTON Evans, of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Printing-Surfaces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to the production of printing-surfaces for general application, but

will allow the base to be pressed into any desired shape without destroying the sharp outline of the letter, figure, or symbol.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View, partly in section, showing an electrotype letter attached to the base. Fig. 2 is an inverted view of the letter shown in Fig. 1v detached from the base. Fig. 3 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, showing the letters,fignres,or symbols attached to the flexible base. ing how theinvention may be used with a printingroller.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the respective figures. A is a flexible base, preferably of rubber.

B is the electrotype.

0 is any suitable support.

Each letter, figure, or symbol is a separate electrotype. Fig. 2, the letter or symbol is in the form of a shell,or made hollow-that is to say, the raised letter or symbol is of substantially the same thickness as the surrounding disk or sheet of metal, this construction allowing the rubber to fill the shell of the letter or symbol, as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view show- As shown more particularly in In carrying out the invention, after the letters, figures, or symbols have been made by the process of electro-deposit, the back of the electrotype, as is well known, is found to be roughened or granulated, as shown in Fig. 2, by the deposit of metal from the solution. This granulated surface allows the formation of, an excellent union with the rubber, Whether the electrotype is attached by a rubber solder or the rubber is vulcanized to the electrotype.

In order to accomplish the union, my preferred mode is to place the letters, symbols, or figures in matrices made in tin or plaster,

shaped according to the purpose for which they are to be .used and which serve to hold the electrotype in place during the process of baking.

The construction shown is specially adapted foruse with certain classes of type-writers, as each letter, figure, or symbol can be readily pushed down without interfering with any other, the elasticity of the base causing its immediate return to its original position when pressure is removed.

I disclaim the invention ofa type-plate consisting of a backing of elastic material having hard types fixed upon it when said backing is combined with a surrounding frame.

Having described my invention, I claim- As a new article of manufacture, aprinting device consisting of hollow metallic types or shells independently united to a flexible base, the said base filling the hollow metallic types or shells, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

W. WARRINGTON EVANS. [L.S.]

Witnesses: V

GEORG H. HOWARD, E. L. WHITE. 

